A female Newtown High School student, a junior, said that in an anonymous testimonial presented at the Bring Youth on Board Community Conversation this week in Edmond Town Hall.
The event -- hosted by Students Against Destructive Decisions and the Newtown Prevention Council -- included a video, testimonials, group discussions, and a panel of students and community professionals to answer questions.
In a draft survey of Newtown High School students conducted by the Newtown Prevention Council in April 2007, 58.9 percent of ninth- and 10th-grade students admitted they drank alcohol. In addition, 77.5 percent of 11th- and 12th-grade students admitted they used alcohol, a figure 5 percent higher than the national average.
During group discussions Wednesday, students and parents read questions about underage substance abuse to spark roundtable conversations. Responses by each of the groups identified alcohol and drug use as a major problem in town and suggested stronger parent involvement and more extra-curricular activities for students as possible solutions.
The panelists all agreed that to fight the problem it is essential for parents to communicate with their children.
Dr. William V. Begg, an emergency room physician at Danbury Hospital, alarmed the audience by saying in his experience Newtown is one of the towns in the region with the most underage substance abusers who require emergency medical treatment.
Begg said the key to teaching the dangers of substance abuse is for parents to make a clear connection with their chicldren.
And, "parents need to be vigilant," he said.
Newtown High School Assistant Principal John Tusch said the school system involves the family when a student is found to have a substance abuse problem. Tusch also said the school system constantly takes advantage of opportunities to teach students the dangers of drugs and alcohol.
"Communication is essential, and this is our focus," he said.
Debbie Miller, a Newtown resident with three sons, said if real change is going to happen it has to come from the entire community.
"This problem is much bigger than just a handful of kids," she said. "There has to be more people involved in the solution."
Police Chief Michael Kehoe said the town has an underage drinking ordinance that holds parents responsible for children consuming alcohol on their property. It sends a message to the community.
"The ordinance tells the general population we have taken notice of the activity, and parents have the chance to prevent it," he said.
The program was led by SADD co-presidents Allison Jagoe and Tina Sanchez, but each of the student organization's 30 members was involved in the event.
"Students really took the lead on this," said Judy Blanchard, Newtown Prevention Council co-chair and SADD adviser. "They handled the entire conversation and organized all the activities."
Contact Mike Russo
at mrusso@newstimes.com or at (203) 731-3350.
Area help resources
Info Line: 211
Alcohol Abuse Hotline: (800) 317-3222
Child Abuse and Neglect: (800) 842-2288
Danbury Hospital Crisis Prevention: (203) 797-7007
Suicide Hotline: (800) 203-1234
Women's Center: (888) 774-2900
Newtown Police Department: (203) 426-5841